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IMEC attracts Elpida to sub-50nm DRAM R&D program |
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Mar 14, 2007 at 04:42 PM |
 IMEC has announced that its R&D program that deals with next-generation fabrication processes for sub-50nm DRAM applications has gained another partner in the form of Elpida Memory. IMEC now boasts Micron, Samsung, Qimonda and Elpida as partners in the multi-year partnership. Elpida's involvement will start April 1st.
"R&D cost and the challenges to develop beyond 50nm DRAM process generations are increasing at a rapid pace requiring research partnerships to ensure competitive time-to-market of new products," stated Mr. Sakamoto, President and CEO of Elpida. "By joining IMEC's large network of partners including the leading memory suppliers, we will be able to maintain our strong position in the DRAM market."
IMEC's sub-50nm program addresses some of the key challenges facing DRAM scaling. According to Luc Van den hove, COO at IMEC, the program will research and evaluate new DRAM capacitor materials beyond aluminum and zirconium oxide, meeting the more aggressive specifications for EOT (sub-0.5nm) and leakage; in addition, optimized transistor device design implementing advanced junction technologies, strain engineering, and high-k/metal gates will be studied and verified for possible volume production applications.
"We are excited that Elpida has joined our research platform. We are convinced that their valuable know-how in memory scaling will be an important asset for our global research platform," said Prof. Gilbert Declerck, President and CEO of IMEC. "By concluding strong partnerships with different company clusters, both in logic and memory, IMEC aims to provide an answer to the needs and priorities of all the players in the semiconductor supply chain."
Picture: Mr. Sakamoto, President and CEO of Elpida and Prof. Gilbert Declerck, President and CEO of IMEC
Comment: Although the program has attracted the majority of ‘tier 1' DRAM manufacturers, Hynix is conspicuous in its absence. With Qimonda and Elpida as partners in the IMEC program, some of Taiwan's major memory makers (PSC, Inotera & Nanya) will also reap the rewards of the program as they are closely tied with both Joint Venture operations and various foundry relationships. China's SMIC may also benefit as it is the only foundry that has manufacturing deals with both Qimonda and Elpida, via SMIC's 300mm facility, Fab 4 in Beijing.
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